


Strawberries

by befreckledblake



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Monopoly (Board Game), Sleeptalking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-23
Updated: 2015-04-23
Packaged: 2018-03-25 08:42:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3804058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/befreckledblake/pseuds/befreckledblake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I like your pancakes.” She sighs, the words fuzzy and soft against his ears. It’s oddly endearing to hear her admit it, and he can’t help the small chuckle that escapes his lips.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strawberries

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: My take on how Damon finds out about Bonnie’s sleeping habits. Enjoy :) 
> 
> (posted a while ago on tumblr, but I'm adding this and my other bamon works to my ao3 account!)

The first time she spends the night is an accident. Sort of.  
  
After dinner they decide to play a quick game of Monopoly, only it ends up taking half the night because every time Bonnie comes close to winning he sneaks extra cash from the bank. By the time he finally lets her win, it’s after 3am and they’re both burnt out.  
  
“Ugh,” she groans, flopping back onto the sofa with all the enthusiasm of a beached whale. “I don’t want to move."   
  
"Then don’t.” He says, almost before thinking. She cracks an eye open, watching him put the game away - the punishment for losing. “You’re just gonna come crawling back in a few hours, hungry and cranky. Might as well stay.” He’s expecting her refusal, so when she rolls her eyes at him he shrugs it off, packing the last few pieces back into the box. She’s quiet though; she doesn’t spout a mile-long list about why it would be a terrible idea to sleep here, something she loves to do with all of his other suggestions. When he glances over at her, she has that look on her face - the wary, skeptical look she gets whenever she’s about to agree with him.   
  
“Which room should I take?” She asks, keeping her tone carefully nonchalant, her eyes flashing up to the ceiling to avoid looking at him.   
  
He almost drops the board game.  
  
“There are a million,” He manages to say after a moment, gesturing vaguely to the stairs behind him. “Pick one."   
  
She manages to dig up a toothbrush from Stefan’s bathroom, and he lends her a few of his baggier t-shirts so she has something to sleep in. And just like that, it becomes a somewhat regular thing. He still makes pancakes in the morning and she still sits across from him with her crossword; the only difference is some days she comes down the stairs for breakfast instead of through the front door.   
  
So when he finds her curled up in the living room one night, fast asleep with her grandmothers’ grimoire lying open in her lap and Cuddles held tightly in one hand, the thought of waking her doesn’t even cross his mind. Instead, he takes the book from her lap and sets it on the coffee table next to her, close enough that she’ll see it when she wakes up. Then he tugs a blanket off one of the lounge chairs and drapes it gently over her shoulders, careful not to wake her.  
  
"Damon.”  
  
He freezes, his hands not quite touching her through the blanket, an odd mix of guilt and embarrassment that he doesn’t understand bubbling up in his chest. He glances at her face sheepishly, expecting to see her bright eyes narrowed into slits, her plump bow mouth pulled down into a dark scowl.   
  
But her eyes are still closed, and the corner of her lips almost appear to be pulling up into a smile.   
  
_She’s talking in her sleep._  
  
This is almost too good to be true. He actually pinches himself, just to make sure he’s not dreaming. His hand is halfway to his pocket when he remembers cell-phones don’t exist yet, and he lets out a disappointed huff. With this on video, she would do whatever he wanted for the rest of their lives. He’s trying to remember if he ever had a video camera in the 90s when she mumbles his name again, almost as a question, and her brows furrow. Blackmail temporarily forgotten, he leans closer, wanting to hear more.   
  
“Yes, Bonnie?” He prods after a moment, and he’s surprised to see the slight frown on her face disappear.   
  
“I like your pancakes.” She sighs, the words fuzzy and soft against his ears. It’s oddly endearing to hear her admit it, and he can’t help the small chuckle that escapes his lips.   
  
“Is that so?” He whispers conspiratorially, crouching down so that he’s level with her. It’s strange, seeing her so…relaxed. She’s always so tightly wound up, keeping everything close to the chest. It’s rare to see her ever loosen up, much less reveal anything personal about herself. He pauses for a moment, deliberating. “What else do you like?”  
  
She opens her mouth and lets out a soft sigh, and he feels a slight tug of disappointment when she doesn’t answer. Instead, she pulls the blanket closer to her, snuggling deeper into the couch. So much for that.   
  
Well, at least he knows the truth about the pancakes now. Every time she mentions how much she hates them, he’s going to remember this moment and smile.   
  
She shifts again, her dark hair falling across her face, and without even realizing it he reaches for her. His fingers gently push her bangs back, lingering against her warm skin, tracing the strong line of her jaw…  
  
He snatches his hand back when she shifts, mumbling something low under her breath. “Strawberries.” She says, and her lips quirk up ever so slightly. She makes a few more unintelligible sounds, and then her breathing slows to a calm, deep rhythm and he knows she’s done for the night. He gets to his feet slowly, a wave of different emotions slowly coursing through him.   
  
Happiness. Sadness.  
  
Loneliness.  
  
“Sweet dreams, Bennett,” He whispers, unable to resist brushing his fingers lightly through her hair one more time.  
  
And then, before he forgets, he goes back to the kitchen and adds “strawberries” to the grocery list.  
  
  
_Fin_


End file.
